Monodisperse microdroplet generation and stopping without coalescence

Abstract

A system for monodispersed microdroplet generation and trapping including providing a flow channel in a microchip; producing microdroplets in the flow channel, the microdroplets movable in the flow channel; providing carrier fluid in the flow channel using a pump or pressure source; controlling movement of the microdroplets in the flow channel and trapping the microdroplets in a desired location in the flow channel. The system includes a microchip; a flow channel in the microchip; a droplet maker that generates microdroplets, the droplet maker connected to the flow channel; a carrier fluid in the flow channel, the carrier fluid introduced to the flow channel by a source of carrier fluid, the source of carrier fluid including a pump or pressure source; a valve connected to the carrier fluid that controls flow of the carrier fluid and enables trapping of the microdroplets.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for generation and channeling of microreactors, comprising:
 a microchip; 
 a flow channel in said microchip; 
 a cover plate over said flow channel; 
 said flow channel including a microreactor maker producing an emulsion of two immiscible liquids wherein one of said two immiscible liquids is an aqueous dispersed solution and the other of said two immiscible liquids is a continuous phase carrier fluid and wherein said microreactor maker generates microreactors of said emulsion, said microreactor maker including a T-junction connected to said flow channel; 
 a source of aqueous dispersed solution that provides said aqueous dispersed solution, said source of aqueous dispersed solution connected to said T-junction and said flow channel; 
 a source of continuous phase carrier fluid that provides said continuous phase carrier fluid, said source of continuous phase carrier fluid connected to said T-junction and said flow channel; 
 said source of continuous phase carrier fluid providing said continuous phase carrier fluid in said flow channel, wherein said continuous phase carrier fluid is introduced to said flow channel by said source of continuous phase carrier fluid, 
 a pump or pressure source connected to said source of continuous phase carrier fluid, to said continuous phase carrier fluid, to said flow channel, to said microreactor maker, and to said aqueous dispersed solution; 
 a valve directly connected to said source of continuous phase carrier fluid, directly connected to said continuous phase carrier fluid, directly connected to said flow channel, directly connected to said microreactor maker, and directly connected to said aqueous dispersed solution that controls flow of said continuous phase carrier fluid and said aqueous dispersed solution and thereby enables channeling of said microreactors of said emulsion; and 
 conduits connected to said source of continuous phase carrier fluid, to said continuous phase carrier fluid, to said flow channel, to said microreactor maker, and to said aqueous dispersed solution facilitating flow of said continuous phase carrier fluid and said aqueous dispersed solution. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus for generation and channeling of microreactors of  claim 1  wherein said valve is a multiport valve. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus for generation and channeling of microreactors of  claim 1  including magnetic beads or particles inside of said microreactors. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus for generation and channeling of microreactors of  claim 1  including a source of magnetic beads or particles operatively connected to said microreactor maker wherein said microreactors are produced with said magnetic beads or particles inside of said microreactors. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus for generation and channeling of microreactors of  claim 4  including electromagnets operatively connected to said flow channel in said microchip. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus for generation and channeling of microreactors of  claim 1  including non magnetic particles inside of said microreactors. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus for generation and channeling of microreactors of  claim 1  including a source of non magnetic particles operatively connected to said microreactor maker wherein said microreactors are produced with said non magnetic particles inside of said microreactors. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus for generation and channeling of microreactors of  claim 1  wherein said microreactor maker that generates microreactors includes a “T” junction is a “T” shaped connection with said flow channel and said source of aqueous dispersed solution that generates microdroplets. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus for generation and channeling of microreactors of  claim 1  wherein said microreactor maker producing an emulsion of two immiscible liquids wherein one of said two immiscible liquids is an aqueous dispersed solution and the other of said two immiscible liquids is a continuous phase carrier fluid that generates microreactors of said emulsion is a microdroplet generator that generates spherical shaped microreactors of said emulsion in said flow channel and produces said spherical shaped microreactors of said emulsion in said flow channel. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus for monodispersed microdroplet generation and trapping, comprising:
 a microchip; 
 a flow channel in said microchip; 
 a cover plate over said flow channel; 
 source of aqueous dispersed solution fluid that provides aqueous dispersed solution fluid connected to said flow channel, 
 said flow channel including a droplet maker connected to said source of aqueous dispersed solution fluid that generates microdroplets from said aqueous dispersed solution fluid, said droplet maker including a T-junction connected to said flow channel; 
 a source of continuous phase carrier fluid that provides continuous phase carrier fluid, said source of continuous phase carrier fluid connected to said flow channel and to said T-junction; 
 said source of continuous phase carrier fluid providing said continuous phase carrier fluid in said flow channel, wherein said continuous phase carrier fluid is introduced to said flow channel by said source of continuous phase carrier fluid and flow to said droplet maker including a T-junction producing an emulsion of two immiscible liquids wherein one of said two immiscible liquids is said aqueous dispersed solution and the other of said two immiscible liquids is said continuous phase carrier fluid and wherein said microreactor maker generates said microreactors of said emulsion, 
 a pump or pressure source connected to said source of aqueous dispersed solution fluid, to said aqueous dispersed solution fluid, to said source of continuous phase source of carrier fluid, to said continuous phase carrier fluid, to said flow channel, and to said droplet maker, 
 a valve directly connected to said source of aqueous dispersed solution fluid, directly connected to said aqueous dispersed solution fluid, directly connected to said source of said dispersed solution carrier fluid, directly connected to said continuous phase carrier fluid, directly connected to said flow channel, directly connected to said droplet maker, and directly connected to said aqueous dispersed solution that controls flow of said continuous phase carrier fluid and said aqueous dispersed solution and thereby enables trapping of said microdroplets; 
 conduits connected to said source of aqueous dispersed solution fluid, to said aqueous dispersed solution fluid, to said source of continuous phase carrier fluid, to said continuous phase carrier fluid, to said flow channel, and to said droplet maker, and facilitating flow of said continuous phase carrier fluid and said dispersed solution aqueous solution; and 
 a trapping section directly connected to said flow channel wherein said microreactors of said emulsion are trapped.